The Eight Great Cruiserweight Contenders & Match-Ups For
Season II’s Muhammad Ali Trophy

Season One stars Mairis Briedis and Yunier Dorticos are
joined by top challengers in the quest for the Muhammad Ali
Trophy in the upcoming 200 lb edition of the World Boxing
Super Series.

The inaugural season of WBSS’s Cruiserweight tournament was
concluded last month in the most epic fashion when Ukrainian
Aleksandr Usyk beat Russian Murat Gassiev before a capacity
crowd of 24,000 at the Olimpiysky Arena in Moscow.

“We have an amazing line-up with eight worthy challengers
that rival last season’s sensational quality,” said Kalle
Sauerland.

“Cruiserweight is one of the most exciting divisions, just
look at last season’s unbelievable match-ups. So we are
looking forward to a new season.”

The eight cruiserweights competing for the Muhammad Ali
Trophy, the single-elimination tournament from October 2018
to summer 2019 are matched as follows in the quarter-finals.

The national hero is the first Latvian ever to win a boxing
world title, having held the WBC cruiserweight title from
April 2017 to January 2018.

He is undoubtedly among the best cruiserweights in the world
and one of the favourites to take home the grand prize.

In last season he came close: He won his quarter-final
convincingly by unanimous decision against Mike Perez and
continued to face top-seed Aleksandr Usyk. In a
fight-of-the-year contender, Briedis was defeated via
majority decision in a close and thrilling contest and gave
what Usyk called; ‘the toughest fight of my career.’

Noel Mikaelian

Formerly known as Noel Gevor, Mikaelian, 27, is a German of
Armenian birth who lives in Hamburg, Germany.

Mikaelian is a former WBO Youth champion and current WBO
International Cruiserweight champion and only a split
decision, in an IBF eliminator against Krzysztof Wlodarczyk,
prevented him from participating in last season’s Ali Trophy
Cruiserweight tournament.

Mikaelian is training under renowned Cuban coach Pedro Diaz
and has been predicted a big future in the cruiserweight
division; he is known for his boxing brain, speed, footwork
and the ability to finish a fight with a single punch.

Yunier ‘The KO Doctor’ Dorticos

Yunier Dorticos, 32, originally from Havana, Cuba was one of
the most exciting participants of the inaugural season of
the World Boxing Super Series, a spectacular power puncher
with an iron chin. The Miami based KO artist stunned his
quarter-final opponent Dmitri Kudryashov, with a devastating
third-round knockout victory, but in the semi-final, the
former WBA World Champion was stopped in the twelfth-round
round by Russian Murat Gassiev.

Mateusz ‘Master’ Masternak

Mateusz Masternak, 31, from Wroclaw, Poland is a former EBU
(European) Cruiserweight champion. His dangerous right hand
and accurate hooks are respected by everyone in the
division. In 2014 he fought for the interim WBA World
Cruiserweight Championship in 2014 but lost via split
decision to Youri Kayembre Kalenga.

Krzysztof ‘Glowka‘ Glowacki

Krzysztof Glowacki, 31, held the WBO World Cruiserweight
title from 2015 to 2016. The exciting Polish southpaw from
Walcz, Poland lost to Aleksandr Usyk in 2016 (at that time
the only fighter to go the full distance with Usyk), losing
the WBO belt, which he won in 2015 via knockout against
Marco Huck. That fight was labeled a 2015 fight-of-the-year
contender.

Maksim ‘The Kill’ Vlasov

Maksim Vlasov, 31, from Samana, Russia has won 12 straight
fights since moving up in weight following a loss to
Gilberto Ramirez in 2015 and he is currently holding the WBC
Silver Title.
He has competed at middleweight, super middleweight, light
heavyweight and is now a red hot addition to the
cruiserweight division.

Ruslan Fayfer, Russia

Ruslan Fayfer, 27, from Dzhubga, Russia currently holds
IBF’s version of the International title and has paved his
way to the top ranks with impressive stoppage power. The
talented Russian has looked good so far in moving up the
ranks but is facing the toughest challenge of his career
after entering the 200 lb edition of the WBSS.

Andrew ‘The Beast’ Tabiti

Andrew Tabiti, 28, trains out of the Mayweather Boxing Club
in Las Vegas and is a promising unbeaten contender known for
his outstanding hand speed. His boxing inspirations are the
likes of James Toney, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones and Floyd
Mayweather, but ´The Beast’ has the chance to make a name
for himself competing for the Muhammad Ali Trophy.